The short answer
In Quran 16:68-69 the commands given to the bee (take homes, eat, follow the ways of your Lord) are in the feminine form in Arabic. This is ordinary Arabic grammar for a collective noun like nahl, so it is not a proof of anything about bee biology. It is true that the honeybees who build, forage and make honey are females, but the verse should not be presented as a scientific miracle on that basis.
Surah an-Nahl ("The Bee") says: "And your Lord inspired to the bee, 'Take for yourself among the mountains, houses, and among the trees and [in] that which they construct'" 1. Then: "eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]", and from their bellies comes a drink of varying colours "in which there is healing for people" 2.
In the Arabic text (shown on the verse cards) the verbs ittakhidhi (take), kuli (eat) and usluki (follow) are all feminine commands. Here honesty matters. Arabic commonly treats collective nouns such as nahl (bees) as grammatically feminine, so a native listener would hear nothing unusual. The tafsir cited here explains the verse as Allah guiding the bees, and draws no conclusion about their sex from the grammar 34.
As a matter of biology, the honeybees that build the comb, fly out to flowers and make honey are females, the workers; the males (drones) do none of this. That is an interesting fact, but because the feminine forms are simply how Arabic treats this word, it is not evidence of hidden scientific knowledge and should not be offered to anyone as a proof.
The deeper message is in the word "inspired" (awha). The bee does not learn architecture or chemistry; Allah guided it, and tafsir explains that He showed it where to build and made its paths easy 34. The result is a food of different colours with healing in it 4.
The verse ends: "Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought" 2. The Prophet ﷺ also forbade killing bees 5, a reminder that this small creature is part of Allah's order. Next time you taste honey, think of the guided, tireless worker who made it.
Allah inspired the bee to take homes in mountains, trees and what people build.
وَأَوۡحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلنَّحۡلِ أَنِ ٱتَّخِذِي مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتࣰ ا وَمِنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعۡرِشُونَ ٦٨
And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses, and among the trees and [in] that which they construct
The bee eats from fruits, follows the ways of its Lord, and produces honey with healing in it.
ثُمَّ كُلِي مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ فَٱسۡلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلࣰ اۚ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابࣱ مُّخۡتَلِفٌ أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥ فِيهِ شِفَآءࣱ لِّلنَّاسِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةࣰ لِّقَوۡمࣲ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٦٩
Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought
Your Lord, O Messenger, inspired the bees and guided them saying, “Make homes for yourselves in the mountains, in the trees and in the structures and shelters that people build.”
“Then eat of all the fruits you desire, and go along the pathways that your Lord inspires you to take that are made easy for you.” From the bellies of those bees emerges honey of different colours, such as white, yellow and other colours, which contains a cure for people that they can use to treat their sick. Surely in such inspiring of bees and in the honey that emerges from their bellies is a sign of Allah’s power and planning of the affairs of His creation for people who reflect, for they are the ones who take heed.
The Prophet ﷺ prohibited killing four creatures, including ants and bees.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited to kill four creatures: ants, bees, hoopoes, and sparrow-hawks
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنْ قَتْلِ أَرْبَعٍ مِنَ الدَّوَابِّ النَّمْلَةُ وَالنَّحْلَةُ وَالْهُدْهُدُ وَالصُّرَدُ .
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24